“God’s Praises Be Proclaimed” by Beth DeCristofaro
Beloved, we love God because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:19-20)
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. (Luke 4:14-16)
Piety
O God, who through you Son raised up your eternal light for all nations, grant that your people may come to acknowledge the full splendor of their Redeemer. That bathed ever more in his radiance, they may reach everlasting glory. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, on God, forever and ever. (the Collect for the Mass of the Day)
Study
Morning prayer begins, “O Lord open my lips. And my mouth will proclaim your praise.” An intent to praise all day is an inspiring way to begin the day. In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus, rooted and acting in the tradition of the Chosen People, praising God with his lips and uniting himself, per Luke, with the great prophets Elijah and Elisha. After Jesus quotes from Isaiah, this passage goes on to say: And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph? However, Jesus’ subsequent words which revealed the Israelites’ lack of faith caused them to turn on him. He left his hometown after being attacked.
Do I do this as well? With all my good intentions am I faith-filled and aware, keeping Jesus in my heart and on my lips? Being inspired by his words and carrying them out his words: to attend lovingly to the needs of the poor, captives, blind, and those oppressed are very different responses. Who are those people? Do I see them? Do I recognize poverty, captivity, blindness and am I compassionate to those in situations which might feel dangerous to me or which I believe were self-inflicted? Am I judgmental instead of caring? Do refugees at the border frighten me instead of opening my heart to their plight? Does someone captive by their addiction or prejudices disgust me? Does someone oppressed due to the failure of our justice system or racially-tinged cultural norms cause me to conclude that they deserve their difficulty?
And when I am faced with my contradictory stance do I turn on the Word and override his message with my own desires? Do I respond like the neighbors in Jesus’ hometown? Do I drive him out?
Action
Beloved, we love God because he first loved us. Our only action must be love. The cliché “What would Jesus do” is not intended to justify our lack of love. Jesus knows just how hard this is as his back bends under the cross. Pray, imagining the Gospel. I picture him reading the words from Isaiah and looking at me, challenging, encouraging me to follow him in praising and letting God’s Word flow. He will provide the faith, strength, and courage to love God by loving my brother and sister.
Is there an injustice in my community to which I can positively respond?
Illustration: James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Jesus Unrolls the Book in the Synagogue (Jésus dans la synagogue déroule le livre), 1886-1894.
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